Hogwarts Will Never Be The Same
by Silverrosestorm
Summary: Transfer students at Hogwarts in Harry's second year, and new neighbors on privet drive. What does this mean for Harry, and what does it mean for the plans of Dumbledore and Voldemort? (First fanfic, not really sure where this fic will go but it should be fun!) Rating at an M, it may not seem as such at the beginning but it will head that way in the long run.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters within the realm of Harry Potter. I do not make any money off of this. The only things that are mine, are a handful of characters, and the basic idea.

Author's Note: This is my first fanfic. This story has not been beta read. If you find some discrepancies, please let me know so I can either explain them, or fix them. This story will contain ideas and concepts found across the web as Thing to not do at Hogwarts. I was challenged by my little brother to fit as many of them as I possibly could into a story, so this is that attempt. If there is something you would like to see in this story, or a favorite thing that one shouldn't do, please let me know and if I can I shall add it in. Thank You for giving my story a chance.

Chapter 1

Harry was saddened by the fact that his first year at Hogwarts was over, and that he would soon have to return to the home of his aunt and uncle. Even so he promised his two friends that he would stay in touch over the summer. There was no way he felt comfortable telling them about how his home life compared to their own happy stories. It was this feeling that felt like a cold lump of lead forming in his gut as he hugged both of them goodbye and headed off to the walrus-looking man that was his uncle.

There was no greeting, just a grunt, a snap of fingers and walking towards the car. He left out a sigh as he followed and brought his trunk and cage to the car to load them himself and then climb into the backseat with his cousin. It was a nice change of pace that his relatives pretty much ignored him, except for the occasional punch from his pig of a cousin.

"Oh Vernon, would you look at that! The neighbors are moving! Hurry up so I can go find out why," Petunia said gleefully in the hopes that there would be some good gossip to be had from it.

For all that he was worth he sped up and parked in the drive as fast as he could for his wife, and the better to get the freak into it's new space.

Not two seconds out of the car and the neighbor lady, Francine had trotted over to hug his aunt.

"Oh Petunia! I have the best news! Robert got a promotion! We're moving, and you'll never guess where!" the slender woman bounced joyously.

"Congratulations! You're moving into a big city? London?" she asked excitedly as Harry slowly got his trunk out of the boot.

"Nope! We're going to move to San Francisco! I've already seen pictures of the house! It's gorgeous! Here look!" she said grabbing the items from within her jacket pocket.

The last he heard from that conversation was the gasp at it all from his aunt as he moved into the house. Quickly his uncle informed him of his new room, and locked him in it so he could be out of the way.

Harry sighed as he sat in the 'new' room. The cupboard had been getting rather small for him, so it was a good thing that they would be so 'nice' as to let him use the broken things room. Taking some items he was able to prop the desk up so that it wouldn't wobble too much as he wanted to write to his friends, at least he had their letters to look forwards to over the summer.

Two weeks past and while there had been chores aplenty no one seemed to really take interest into the house next door. Sometimes while he was out gardening he would imagine that Hermione and her family would move in, and then he would never be alone, and his uncle would no longer be able to hit him, or lock him out of the house while they went on their day trips, like that day.

There was no breeze, and it was nearing noon. Thankfully he had finished weeding the lawn and the garden, but there really wasn't much shade to be had in the yard, and he was already sweating up a storm. The ration of water he had been left was gone, and the sandwich had gone stale and was beginning to smell a bit off. So with a sigh he had sat on one of the lawn chairs in the receding shadow of the house as he heard voices.

"Are you certain of this?" the first voice asked it sounded like an older man.

"You think I question him much? This is what he wanted, something unobtrusive, in a plain as can be neighborhood. We're just to look at this one, and if it has enough rooms and meets the list we buy it." The second voice was younger than the first, and a bit irritated by the task they had.

"Gentlemen, welcome!" the overly cheerful voice of the real estate agent as she moved them both inside the house.

It had been awhile since the men had gone in, and sometime during that he must have passed out, because someone was now gently shaking him awake. A calloused set of fingers was pressed to his neck, and then a hand to his forehead. He couldn't help but groan and try to push the hand away.

"Glad to see you're still among the living," the voice said. It wasn't either of the ones he had heard earlier. "I'm going to pick you up now, and take you inside, out of the heat. Seems you had a bit too much of it, now just relax. We'll have you feeling alright in a couple of hours," the man said, as he very gently lifted harry up and carried him into the house next door.

"Melou, what have you got there?" asked the first voice he had heard this morning.

"Neighbor boy, I think. Seems he got locked out, has a touch of heat exhaustion. Figured it wouldn't hurt to give him some aid," he slowly laid him down on the carpeting and placed a jacket under his head.

"You're brother thinks that this hole in the wall fits what is listed, what are your thoughts on it?"

"You ask as if I have a say in the matter. My hands are as tied as yours, and I assume my dear brother has already made the payment for the house, and we are left to secure it fully?"

"Aye," the other man said as an even more set of calloused hands touched him, and then laid a damp cloth on his face. "Right then lad, we're gonna be you're new neighbors. So just rest easy for now, and we'll get you some food. You're too damn skinny, you need some meat on your bones."

"Leave him be for now Wilhelm, let him rest. We can chat with him once he's more aware. Here, some cool water. I'm going to prop you up to drink some, and drink slow. Too much too quickly will only cause you problems, listen to someone who has been there," Melou said and slowly lifted him to a sitting position and placed a glass to his lips and let him drink the water slowly.

Harry was in and out of consciousness for a few hours as he came down from the heat stroke. It was strange to awaken on the floor of another person's home looking up at the ceiling while two men were wandering about cursing the people who built the house. It was hard not to groan as he tried to sit up, and take the glass of water that had been left nearby. It was still a horribly parched feeling in his throat, even though he didn't feel like he was about to bake to a crisp.

"Welcome back to the land of the living laddie," a large graying man said as he strolled into the room. He was at least as tall as his uncle, and yet this man was very different, he was older for one, and then there was the scar on his face a neat slash across the left cheek. "Melou! Your young friend here is awake," he called into the house.

Soon enough the younger man appeared, he was tanned, and quite lithe, with dark tousled hair and bright eyes. This man knelt beside him and gave him a quick once over before the other man nodded in approval.

"You look much better. How are you feeling?" he asked kindly.

"Fine, Sir," he managed to croak out. Both men glanced at one another and back to him with concerned looks.

"Save your voice," the older said as he leaned back against the wall. "You live next door?" Harry nodded in response. "You get yourself locked out of the house?" again Harry could only nod as he clutched the glass of water. "Don't you have a spare key to get back in?" Harry shook his head and closed his eyes as the man beside him placed a hand on his shoulder in a comforting manner.

"We're not here to judge, but since we are going to be neighbors, if you ever get locked out again you can come on over here. The grizzled old man is Wilhelm, and I'm Melou. There will be others coming to stay here as well, but I'm not entirely certain who that will be except for one of them. For now, just relax, and drink the water. Your folks haven't returned yet, and by the smell of that sandwich it wasn't very good to begin with. So we'll get you something hearty to eat." With a nod to him the two of them left for the kitchen, obviously wanting to talk about him and the state he was in.

It wasn't too much longer after they left that Harry felt like he could stand and move about again. It was nice to have magic that helped heal you a bit faster, and it must have helped him so many times before as he was growing up with his cousin and uncle beating him so frequently. Taking the glass in hand he moved towards where the two men had gone, if nothing more than to refill the glass.

"Ah! There you be," the older man chuckled. "Glad to see you got your legs beneath you again. Do you feel like you can speak without your throat cracking like that?"

"Yes Sir," he replied dutifully.

"Sir," the man chuckled. "No Sir to me, alright? I'm Wilhelm, and that over there manning the stove is Sir Melou."

"I don't want my blasted title either. Just Melou if you would young man. Now then, who might you be?"

"Harry, Harry Potter," he replied watching both men to see if they would react to his name, or even his scar. It was a relief when they didn't.

"Nice to meet you then, Harry. Welcome to the house of, you know I'm not certain what name this house if going to be under? Suffice to say, it will be interesting over here, pretty much all the time," Melou said with a grin.

"I got a couple of questions for you Harry," Wilhelm said as he looked the young man over with a critical eye. "How safe would you consider this neighborhood? Anything bad happen here recently?"

"Well, um," Harry thought for a moment about the bad things that happened to him and tried to recall anything his aunt had griped about. "I guess it's rather safe. I mean we have the school bullies and all that, but no break-ins, or things like that. My aunt is big on the gossip and she hasn't been on about anything as of late, so I guess nothing bad has happened here, why do you ask?"

"Oh, just checking. We have someone moving in here that has a bit of a bad habit of getting into trouble. Girl can't help it really, she's a perpetual damsel in distress," he couldn't help but chuckle as Harry looked stunned.

"Trust me Harry, she's a nice girl. I still think she got cursed somehow," Melou added from the kitchen as he brought out the hearty stew and a few oddly shaped metal bowls and spoons.

"Cursed?" Harry asked, stunned by the idea.

"Has to be, it is the only explanation for it my opinion. When a girl gets kidnapped that often," he shrugged and spooned out the stew for the three of them. "She can walk into a room, and if one person is truly evil he will consider doing something to her. Let's see Wilhelm has stopped one man from holding her, I've personally stopped three," he paused and shook his head. "Three people, six incidents, four of which were the same man… So you see she needs a bit of dull, and schoolyard bullies? Well they won't be able to get close to her, of that I am certain."

"What makes you so sure?" he couldn't help but ask as he began to eat the rich meal before him.

"That laddie is due to the fact that we will be with her, almost at all times while she is here, AND the fact that she will be having training in the backyard just about every day, and once you seen her train, there aren't many who would try to mess with her, unless they were the wrong sort, and hell-bent on it. The more they are wanting to go after her, the more evil they are, and the happier we are to get them off the streets," Wilhelm chuckled at him as they heard a car pull up next door.

"Finish your food Harry, I'll just go thank your family for the help you've given us with some cleaning around here," Melou said with a grin as he stood up from the floor.

"But.."

"No buts. You need that food to finish recovering from your ordeal, and I would rather lie to people that lock someone out and feed them whatever that thing was supposed to be," he said with a grin as Wilhelm placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Eat up lad. Melou will have them eating out of his hand sure enough; he's got charm that one. He'll probably ask if it would be alright for you to help us with the painting and such as well. Frankly I think you remind him of himself at your age."

They could hear the chatter of the people next door talking. The murmur from them was strange as Harry sat there slowly eating the stew, waiting for his relatives to start yelling for him, and then it was possible he'd be punished for leaving the yard at all.

"You seem tense lad," the graying man said as he sat his bowl aside and stared at him intently. "Not sure why just yet, but I'm guessing you have had a rough go of it. Before you start denying it, let me warn you I've seen people from all walks of life, and I can read 'em. I had to learn due to my job. Best you learn to read the body language of those around you, lest you get a dagger in the back," he gave Harry a wry grin.

"Do you have to worry about that often?" he asked trying to take the spotlight off of himself.

"Oh I used to. Not so much anymore though. Watching after one girl is much easier than training guards, keeping them in line, and trying to root out the spies and such sent to harm those that we were guarding. Ah the days of my youth, thinking I was going to be some great epic hero that tales would be written of. That shine wore off after my first battle, and then I became a grizzled old man early on. I have scars about me that I am unhappy I got, some from enemies I knew and a few from some I had thought were my friends. One of those friends landed me a great blow with a knife, but the gods had their eyes on me, and the blade wasn't at the right angle to kill me, it got caught up in my ribs," he replied so factually that Harry almost wanted to believe the old man. With a laugh the man tousled Harry's hair and pointed back to the bowl he was holding, "go on now. Finish up your meal."

It was hard to tell if the man was pulling his leg or not, but the man got up and walked into the kitchen to rinse his bowl. He couldn't help but watch him as his eyes looked out over the yard behind the house, as if expecting something to come and attack him. On the one hand, it made him feel safe to be sitting there, on the other hand it made him worry that something really was out there.

"Well," the dark haired young man said as he came back into the house with a wide grin. "All of that is settled."

"Got what you wanted?" the elder asked.

"Of course I did," he said as he dropped back onto the floor and took up his own bowl once more.

Silence filled the house as the two ate, and Wilhelm began to wander once more through the house. The man was cursing in a foreign tongue about the house once more, causing the man beside him to roll his eyes.

"I don't speak it either Harry, but from the way he is going you'd think this place was rigged to collapse and burst into flames. While normally I wouldn't suggest using foul language to anyone, if you are going to use it and not get a reprimand for it, best you learn something that you know no one else around you knows," he said with an impish grin.

"I'll keep that in mind," he said at the bizarre advice. "Thanks for the stew. It was really good." He went to stand and take his own dish to the sink, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"I've made a bit of a deal with your aunt and uncle. They warned me about you being a trouble maker and I'm sure they have quite a few of the twits around here to believe it." Harry paled at the thought of his relatives already destroying the one good thing that had started here with the new neighbors. "I want you to know, I don't believe a word of it. Their words are filled with so much hate and venom I'm surprised they haven't died from their own vile poisons. Many people do things like that however, and both Wilhelm and myself, we have dealt with a fair number of them. Now it seems that they are caught up not wanting you there much at all, and for some reason being unwilling to let you leave for too long. So here is what we have worked out; you are going to come over here and give us both a hand in getting this place fixed up and ready for the others to move into it."

It was a release from his 'family' and yet more work. He'd never get his summer homework done if he had both chores at their place, and to come help these new neighbors. Still he smiled, as it was an escape, and they could probably keep Dudley from beating him up too much this summer.

"There is a small catch I may have forgotten to tell them however," at this he grinned broadly. "There really inst much work we could have you do at all. Sure maybe a hand in painting a room or two, but for the most part the house is fine as is. They," he made a gesture to the wall that led to his relative's home, "don't need to know that bit. In fact they seem to think we are going to be keeping a constant eye on you while we get you to help with cleaning and renovating things. Also your aunt told us that they are leaving for a trip in a few days, so you will be coming to stay with us."

"They're going on a trip?" he couldn't help but asked in a stunned tone.

"Ah, they weren't going to tell you then eh? Well then. No worries," he had a grin on his face once more. "You just act like you don't know, but grab a backpack of things for tomorrow, put some grubby clothes on top that with be your fake work clothes for over here. We'll get you set up so that you can store some things here, so you wont be without while they are away."

"Th-thank you," Harry said stunned that he had been saved from whatever would have happened.

"You are quite welcome Harry. Now then, just leave the bowl where it is. Remember you don't know about their trip. Both of us are early risers, so come over whenever, just open the door and give a yell," with that he released the boy's shoulder and sat back to finish his own meal.

"Thanks again," Harry said again feeling a bit dazed by all of this. Slowly he rose up and headed back to the hell that was his life.

Vernon was grinning madly, and Petunia was putting away some shopping they had done. All the while Dudley was sitting and playing some handheld game, ignoring the rest of the world. It was a strange sight to walk in on, and made even more disconcerting by the way his uncle was eying him.

"To your room freak," the walrus said gleefully, the walked behind him and made certain to lock him in for the night.

It was strange to know that people he had just met were willing to do so much for him, and take a chance on him in such a big way. Then again he had been passed out in the backyard, and probably looked quite a mess, so they had taken pity on him. At least he would be able to get his homework done though, and that brought a smile to his face. So as quietly as he could he opened his school trunk and began to put the books he would need into an old beat up backpack. Out of all the homework he had to do, he was not looking forwards to the one Snape had assigned; what potion ingredients grow around your home, and their uses. In the muggle world how many could there be?

With his pack set up for tomorrow he climbed into bed to sleep. The thought had crossed his mind to write his two friends, but since he had yet to receive word back from either he would wait a bit more. It wouldn't do to flood them with letters when perhaps they were really busy. Though it did seem strange as Hermione seemed the type to want to constantly write and asked him several times if he would owl her, but she did have a trip to France so there was at least a week or two she wouldn't be able to write.

It was early when he woke up, too early. Everyone else was still asleep, and he was still locked in his room. So with a heavy sigh he walked to his desk and compose a letter to Hermione, she would be more understanding of what new neighbors would mean since Ron lived quite a distance from anyone.

Dear Hermione,

Something happened yesterday, and please don't worry because it is all taken care of. I got locked out of the house while my relatives were gone, and ended up with heat stroke. I know you are probably worried, but you see there were people looking at the house next door, in fact they bought the place, and one of them saw me. He came over and was quite gentle with me as he took me into the house.

He and this older guy are getting the place set up for others to move in, and the two of them are going to be staying there as well. They have invited me to come over any time! I can get away from my bully of a cousin anytime I want! They kept me there until everyone got back, and fed me dinner while I was there too. I think the man with dark hair is a chef of some kind, because that stew he made was amazing, better than the stuff at Hogwarts.

No I haven't been able to start my homework yet, but I will. I get to go over there everyday to 'help' them, but there really isn't much work to do they said. So I can take my homework over there and get it done. I'm going to start with Snape's work since I don't want it hanging over my head all summer.

I guess I'll leave it there. I hope you write soon. Maybe if you gave me your phone number I could give you a call? Then again maybe you haven't written because you are in France? I do want to hear how your summer is going though. Please write back.

Your Friend,

Harry

With that he tied the message to Hedwig and let her out the window. The lights were already on next door, and he could see the dark haired man in the backyard doing some kind of workout. As Harry watched for a moment the man looked over and locked eyes with him, it felt kind of creepy, as if he knew he was being watched.

"Hey!" he called out softly as he came over to the fence and waved, "You coming over now, or in a bit?"

"Um, now? No one else is up yet," Harry said stunned.

"Ah, waiting to let them know eh? Alright. I was going to start cooking breakfast soon, so save some room. I don't know what people eat in this day in age, but I prefer something I can call food and not some packaged cereal."

"Are you a chef?"

"Nope, I just happened to enjoy eating things that taste good. Well, see you soon I guess? Don't forget some good work clothes," he said with a grin and a wave before he headed back into the other house.

It felt strange to have someone who talked to him kindly in the neighborhood and not about her cats either. Was this how it felt to be normal? Was this what it was like for other people the world over? With that thought on his mind he checked his bag once more, making certain that he had enough things in there in order to get his essay done for Snape. It felt strange to be excited to do homework, but he was. He was excited because not only would he be able to get it done, but he would be allowed to do it, and be away from his family. There were new people who actually thought the stuff his family said was all lies about him.

Two hours later his aunt finally got up to let him out so that he could make everyone breakfast. It was hard to not just dash down the stairs to the smaller bathroom to get ready for the day, and quickly make them their food so he could leave. If he showed too much excitement they might stop him from going, and that would be horrible.

Soon enough he was plating up the food for the family, whom left only a slightly burned bit of toast for him, with no butter, and one overly dark bit of bacon. His uncle eyed him gleefully.

"None of that freak business over there now boy. They have a lot of work by the sounds of it, and I don't want to hear that you are giving them any trouble. If they ever come over here to say anything bad about you, there will be punishment," the man said with an evil glint in his eye.

"Yes uncle Vernon," Harry said as his mouth went dry. That look never meant anything good for him. Taking his bit of breakfast and his backpack up he began to head over, only to be stopped.

"What have you there boy!" his uncle bellowed suspiciously eying the bag.

"They told me to bring some work clothes over there, things that I wouldn't mind getting paint on and such," he said trying to explain and get out of there quickly. "So I grabbed some of my hand-me-downs that are close to falling apart."

"Fine then, get out," the walrus snapped.

With that he was free and hurried over to the neighbor's house and the opened back door. Inside were both men smiling and laughing over something, a third plate sat on the floor with them, and a few covered dishes sitting on hot pads as well.

"Welcome!" the older man said with a grin, "hope you slept well. We might actually need some help today, and of course have you do some things outside so they think we are working you hard."

"Yeah I slept alright," he said taking the spot offered to him by the younger man.

"Now that we are all here," Melou said taking the meager scraps from him and tossing them into a small bag. "That is not a breakfast Harry. I do hope you are hungry."

"Starved actually," he said softly and sheepishly to which the man only grinned wider.

"Well then, gentlemen, dig in!" he said happily and pulled the covers off the pots and pans. Ham steak, eggs, bacon, thick porridge, a small earthenware jar of cream, a glass honey pot, and a small dish of mixed berries made up the meal, along with a loaf of fresh bread.

No words were needed as they all served themselves, and the two men kept putting more food on Harry's plate. He had been worried about asking for seconds, but the two men just seemed to understand and kept him going until he began to slow down in eating. It made Harry feel good to be included in something so simple as a meal, but even better to taste such food, and to fill his stomach to almost a bloated feel.

"Now that we have broken the fast, let us three discuss the day ahead. Wilhelm needs to run into town to get some paint and supplies. During that time, you and I get to walk around a bit, and you get to ask me tons of questions while I get to know you a bit better," he said looking at the two of them. Wilhelm just nodded and then they both looked to Harry.

"Does this sound alright to you Harry?"

"I didn't realize I got a say in anything," he said looking at the two men who just grinned at him. "I guess that sounds fine?"

"Right then. While you are with us lad, you are a part of our team. We value all on the team, and if you become interested in anything we do, and you want to learn it, speak up. Both Melou and myself have some skills that we don't mind teaching the right sort of person." The older man heaved himself up as if he was a younger man, and took the dishes off to the sink and set them in it.

"Feel free to ask anything Harry. There might be a few things we can't honestly answer, but for the most part I'm sure you can tell we are both rather relaxed people, so you need to relax as well. Now, let me show you the house and explain a bit of what is going to happen," he said with a boyish grin and led Harry off for the grand tour.

It was quickly explained that the girl they had been talking about before was going to have the master bedroom, and her brother the next largest room. Two other bedrooms were needed for others that would be staying with them, and then two more for themselves. Melou would be staying in an upstairs room, just off the stairs, and Wilhelm downstairs in a guest room. The downstairs study was going to become the family library and study room, the basement laundry and an indoor workout room, while the living room would become the hub of activity with video games and computers.

"How old are they? If you don't mind me asking," Harry asked near the end of the tour.

"Oh, about twelve all around, maybe closer to thirteen," he said with a grin. "They wont be here during the year, they will be going to some boarding school. Frankly why they can't just be home schooled on this stuff is beyond me, but I guess it is supposed to be the experience and all that," he said with a grin and a wave of his hand. "What about you? You go to public school? Home school?"

"I head off to boarding school," he said as he was led to the garage.

"How do you like it there?" asked Wilhelm, now joining them.

"I love it. I made two really wonderful friends, and had a lot of fun. The only thing is I really don't like one of my teachers, or all the summer homework," he said glumly.

"Son," Wilhelm said as he opened the door to the black sedan, "if you claimed to like every teacher you ever had, there would be something seriously wrong with you. Frankly I think I speak for Melou and myself we have both had teachers that we hated with every fiber of our being. There is nothing wrong with it that is just how it goes, and most of the time, the teacher wants it that way. They push you to hate them by saying how bad you are at something, and you in turn either give up and prove them right, or you stick it to them by going above and beyond to prove them wrong. Doing the second actually means you learn more in the long run, and sometimes that alone helps you to become a better person." The man placed a hand on his shoulder and gave a squeeze, "not all things may be as they seem. Many in this neighborhood are going to see an old man, and a younger man taking after four kids, in fact they might lump Melou in on the kids thing, in actuality the two of us are here on a security detail."

With that he got into the back seat with Harry, and buckled up. Melou was a calm driver compared to his uncle. Every so often he asked Harry about something on the drive.

"I don't understand, if this girl needs you to protect her all the time, why are you letting her go to a boarding school?" Harry asked.

"You'd have to ask the one in charge of this fiasco waiting to happen," Melou said bitterly. "He's arrogant and thinks that this is 'the right thing to do'. However, that is why the other two are going with. They know her well enough, and know how to protect her."

"Now, now Melou, one shouldn't talk about their father in such a way," Wilhelm chuckled. "Your brother on the other hand is free game."

"Oh please, let's not bring him into this talk," he grumbled.

"So it's complicated?" Harry asked.

"Yes." was the unanimous response.

"So, please begin asking questions at anytime," Melou said after they had walked in silence for more than five minutes around the large hardware store.

"Um, I really don't know what to ask. Uh, how old are you?"

"I am at the youthful age of twenty. My elder brother is twenty-five. Wilhelm, believe it or not, is only forty-six. How about yourself? How old is Harry?"

"Eleven, but I turn twelve in a few days," he said as they walked past the hardware and into the outdoor gardening area.

"Well I'm sure it sounds nice to have some new kids in the area your own age, and who will not be swayed by the lies your relatives have spread."

"What are they all like? The kids my age coming to live with you," he said as Melou grabbed a cart and began picking up some herbs and flower flats.

"Well, let's see," he said thoughtfully. "Well the two that will be arriving in a few weeks, are a bit different. The two of them are not related, but are both a bit on the darker side of life. They both like dark clothes, and horror movies, though he is a bit more of a geek for science fiction. I'm sure you will get along well with him. Her on the other hand, I don't know as well. From what I understand she can get a bit morbid, but if you can get past her act is a rather nice girl."

"Why don't you say their names?" he asked quickly interrupting his companion. It just felt so odd that they were going to have four people move in but he was going out of his way to not say their names.

"That is because I was told not to. If a famous or infamous person move into a quiet neighborhood, they don't want everyone to know. If people knew, then people might compromise the work we are doing, or even try to break in. Right now we are playing down that they are moving in, because we want no one to think about it. Their names may not mean much to you or anyone on that street, but one word in the wrong ear and the house of cards falls down."

"I think I get it," he replied as he tried to wrap his head around it all.

"Simply put Harry, the two of us are there as guards to keep the rest of them safe, one in particular. That girl in particular deserves to have some quiet and a bit of normal, whatever that may be. All it would take is one person to say her name around the wrong type of people, and they would be after her, so until everything is secure and she is there, we won't use her name around others. It isn't that I don't trust you, you seem like a very honest person, and one that will probably be great friends with her. However it would be even stranger if I told people after less than a full day of knowing them, wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah," he agreed. "That would be very strange, and invite a lot of trouble."

"Exactly."

"When are they all arriving?"

"Well, the first two will show up in about five weeks. The last two," he looked thoughtful for a moment, "well that really depends on her. You might not see them until next summer. They are currently on a vacation of sorts, an educational thing really."

From there the questions moved into the why the particular plants, and what Melou liked and disliked. After a good three hours in the store they all met up at the registers and made their rather large purchase that the sales people had to help them load it all into the car. Most of it fit in the boot, some had to go in the back seat with Wilhelm, and Harry got the front passenger seat and moved it all the way forward since he was the shortest.

When they got back and began making the many trips his relatives seemed happy to see him hauling the cans of paint and bags of supplies from the car and into the house. Once it was all in, then it all had to be sorted out for which room each thing went into, and then carried up and down the stairs. Frankly he was exhausted by the time the delivery driver came calling with their lunch.

"Okay Harry, now for the real work today," Melou said with a devilish grin. "After lunch you get to work on whatever it was you brought with you, and stay down here relaxing."

"What?"

"You heard him," Wilhelm said setting a plate before him. "You get to relax, while we get to work. We do need someone down here to let in the telephone people, and the cable people when they come. That is your only task today; think you can handle that for us?"

"Sure. I can handle that, but what about all of those plants? Shouldn't we get them in the ground soon?"

"Oh we will," his dark haired companion said. "I just prefer to not do that during the hottest parts of the day. That is a task for early morning, or early evening when things are cooler, less chance of burning the top of your head and back of your neck."

Even though he had managed to get most of Snape's essay done, and the people let through he was actually looking forwards to gardening with the two of them. However the two had decided that his education was more important than gardening. It felt so strange to be left alone to do his work, but also that these two men, who really didn't know him at all, wanted him to do well in school. Was this what a normal family was like? Could it be that his aunt and uncle were really just that bad of people, and that found spoiling their son easier than actually raising him? Well regardless of the truth, Harry decided that perhaps depending on how his summer went with the two men, perhaps he would buckle down and do his best at school for once. He didn't have to hold himself back for Dudley's sake anymore, did he?

It was almost strange, when he saw his 'family' leave for their trip. From what Melou had found out, it was just going to be a short one, and thus a sleepover was called for. Not much work was done over those four days, as the boys decided to be boys and head out to an amusement park. Funny how these men treated him like a long time friend or family, and he felt so comfortable around them.

Harry really didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially as they began teaching him to see the way the fairway games were rigged so more often than not you would lose. A few of them had special tricks so you could win almost every time. The two men proceeded to prove this fact every few hours they would play the game, and then offer the large stuffed animal to Harry, keep it, or hand it off to some wide eyed kid that looked like there were not having the best of day at the park.

For Harry's birthday, they had a large breakfast and headed into town for the day. Instead the two men treated Harry to a day doing whatever he wanted, and bought him some clothes that actually fit! They claimed the clothes were payment for the hard work they had made him do, and would do at least for a few more days. That night they had ended with a filling meal, and a cake that was so good that he knew his aunt would kill for the recipe.

"Where did you learn to cook like that?" he asked after his third helping of it.

"Ah," Will chuckled. "He's caught you out hasn't he! Time to fess up it is!" the man leaned over to Harry, "I've been trying to get him to tell me for ages now. His brother teases him for doing women's work, so he has refused to tell."

"Fine, you old codger," he said mock glaring to his friend. "Harry, I have had the luck to train under one of the most wonderful people in the universe. Her Highness enjoys MY company, and thus has taken me in for tutelage in the kitchen. Unlike some who devour her baking before it even goes into the oven, or are barred from the kitchen in the FIRST place, Wilhelm," the older man laughed loudly at this.

"I'm not made for kitchen work! I've told her that how many times? All it took was me knocking over the flour once, and I was kicked out," he defended pitifully.

"Into a fan that then sent it all over the kitchen. Flour becomes an unholy mess when you wet it down to clean. At any rate, her highness loves cooking and baking, and since I am the only member of the guard that seem to be smart enough to not get into her way, and even ask if I could assist, she has taken it upon herself to teach me."

"You learned from royalty?"

"I still do, though my lessons are going to be much fewer now, but that is alright. I know quite a bit to get by on, and serve up good meals."

Since his father was having a business dinner, Harry got lucky and was told to stay over there. Of course the two men said that would help them finish before the moving van showed up in the morning with the items, and they would need Harry there early to help once it did arrive.

"This is the best birthday I have ever had, thank you both so much," he said to the both of them.

"Our pleasure Harry," the older man said whilst giving a one armed hug. "Thanks to you I finally have found out who has been teaching that boy. I should have figured it out, but I figured it was one of those cooking schools, or shows."

"I'd love to learn to cook better. I am alright at it, but nothing I make ever tastes this good."

"Well then Harry, if you like you can come over, and I shall teach you a thing or three that I have learned. What is learning if you don't use it, or pass it on?"

"Well, we should all head to the bags. It will be a busy day tomorrow," the graying man said as he scooped up the dishes and took them back to the kitchen.

"Alright then! Goodnight, and thank you both again!" he happily beamed as he headed off to the living room and their three sleeping bags. On their day trip Melou had found a portable cosmic observatory, and now had it set up so that they could sleep under the stars. Since Harry had never been camping, both men thought the idea of indoor camping would be best since setting up a tent would seem strange to the neighbors, and they were trying to be normal, at least for now. He lay there looking up at the stars, trying to form the many constellations he knew were out there, but he just never understood how to find them all.

"Nothing like sleeping under the stars," Melou said as he plunked down upon his own bedroll, as he called it.

"How do you know where one starts and ends?"

"Ah, well, it takes some learning for certain. Wilhelm is still learning some of them, but he can find the Southern Cross and the northern star in a pinch."

"How many do you know?" he couldn't help but roll over to stare at the man.

"Hm, well that depends on what version of the constellations you want, there are the modern more widely known ones. Then there are the names the Celts, the Picts, the Goths, Romans, and the early Englishmen used. The North Star is always the guide in any of them though. It stays right where it needs to be, true to its course, and is the only one you ever really need to know how to find."

"Is it that one?" he asked rolling over once more and pointing at a star off to his left.

"No. That is part of the constellation Orion, the hunter. You can always find him by the three stars that make up the belt, and the fact he looks a bit like an hour glass. See it?" he asked and received a nod and affirmative noise. "The northern star can be found by finding Ursa Major and Minor, also known as the big and little dippers." Slowly he pointed them out to the newly aged boy beside him. "It is with those that it points to that one, the North Star."

"I'm so glad you moved in. I don't know what I'd be doing this summer if you hadn't shown up."

"No letters from your friends then?"

"None," he sighed.

"I'm sorry Harry. Perhaps something happened? You'll see them come fall, just make sure you get some answers before you forgive them. Friends stick together through thick and thin, come hell or high water. Now get some sleep birthday boy."

"Sure thing," he yawned. "When's your birthday?"

"Don't you worry about my birthday; you'll be away for it. If you like though we can have a bit of a party before you go off to school."

"I'd like that…"

Melou glanced over to see that the savior of the wizarding world had just fallen asleep and seemingly into pleasant dreams.

The next couple of days flew by in a veritable blur of assembling and unpacking. However as it goes all good things must come to an end. After a grueling day helping with everything they had finally finished. Harry had gone home earlier than normal that day, and snuck past his aunt who seemed to be hosting some ladies for a bridge game.

Once he had gotten to his room and begun to relax a bit, something magical happened. He was suddenly no longer alone in his own room, and a very sad looking house elf called Dobby tried to explain that he was not to go back to school, it even admitted to taking his mail. Even though he swore he would return the elf swore to keep him safe, but not letting him return. After chasing the being downstairs there was an incident where the main dessert came flying from the kitchen landing on the backside of one of the more important ladies there.

To say that his aunt was unhappy was a true understatement. She cried crocodile tears as she explained how he was a disturbed young man and all of that garbage. Unfortunately this meant he would be grounded at best, beaten bloody at worst.

Sadly it was the later. Uncle Vernon was none to happy to come home from the movies with his son to hear the story of his freakishness. There was murder in his eyes, as he dragged Harry off to his room.

The very next day the bars went up over the window. Wilhelm stood out in the backyard and watched on. Harry was uncertain what he thought of the whole bit, but he could tell that he was not happy with this idea. In fact he wasn't certain what excuse he gave to them on why they were doing this.

That first night the bars went up he was starving! He had gone from eating three very hearty healthy meals a day to the scraps his 'family' gave him. It was then he noticed that his body had filled out quite a bit, and he had begun to look healthier. It was well after the others had gone to sleep that somehow there was a tap at his window. Upon opening it, he saw Melou below holding a long wooden staff up to his window, and upon the end of the staff was a wrapped cloth bag. Once he retrieved it, the man left with s soft whistle.

Back inside his room he untied the rope from the bag and found leather water bottles, cheese, bread, and dried meat. With it all there was a note.

Harry,

Those people say you got some kind of illness, which strikes you from time to time. Now seems to be one, where you get delirious and might leap from your window. As if we would believe it! I know this doesn't seem like much, but I shall bring you more every couple of days, don't want them to suspicious. Just make sure to return the water skins in the sack when I come next. We'll try to keep you as well fed as you should be. Be well, and stay strong.

Your friends.

It made him happy to know that his friends from school were writing, and he had finally read all of their letters. To know he had friends just next door watching over him as well made him feel so loved for the first time in far too long.

With all of this time on his hands, being locked in the room he was able to at least finish his homework. So some good came of it all. The other good thing was that after his first week locked up, the Weasley twins and Ron came in a flying car to get him and take him to the Burrow! As they were leaving he had been able to toss the cloth bag into the neighbor's yard before his uncle began to unlock his door to keep him from leaving.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't make money on this, and I don't own the world I'm playing in.

A/N: In this chapter I will introduce 4 of my own rpg characters. In order to do some of the things I want it would be so out of character for those int eh world to do. So we have some wonderful outsiders to shake things up and cause a bit more mayhem. I hope you like this next part.

Chapter 2

Hermione Granger paced the platform anxiously waiting for both Harry and Ron to arrive. They were cutting it quite close, and that worried her. As the train whistle blew once more, warning the people to hurry aboard she did just that. It wouldn't do her any good to miss the train, when she was standing right there. The hope flitted through her mind that maybe she had just missed them, and they were in fact on the train, and now looking for her in a compartment.

Just as the last warning whistle sounded and the call went up and down the platform for last call, she breathed a sigh of relief. The many red heads charging towards the train proved that they had made it. Now all she had to do was sit and wait until the two of them finally found where she was seated. She knew it wouldn't be too long, as the train began to make its way towards the school she had come to love last year. No longer worried about the boys she picked up her book for defense class and began to read it. The man was famous, so there had to be something marvelous he was going to teach them.

"Um, excuse me," a voice asked timidly from the doorway. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"Well," Hermione looked up and was a bit confused as her friends had yet to find her. The girl before her had long red hair, thousands of freckles and bright blue eyes; she was also dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. "I was waiting on some friends to join me, but I guess they must have found someplace else," she finished glumly.

"Sorry to hear that," she said taking a seat across from her and looking rather nervous.

"Where is your trunk?"

"My brother has it. Wont let me carry it, and he is being such a," she growled and took a deep breath. "Sorry. He's just rally got me going already today. I'm Kirrishar."

"Hermione," she replied shaking the girl's hand. "Are you a first year?"

"No. I'm a transfer student, and I think I am going to be in second year."

"I can't place your accent. Where are you from?"

"I'm from all over really, but I was born in Michigan." she said glancing out the window. "The landscape is beautiful here. I've always wanted to come to England, and I guess I finally got my chance."

"I didn't know that Hogwarts took transfer students, but I guess that make sense. What was the school like in the Americas?" She couldn't help but lean towards her new traveling companion, as the new girl seemed interested in talking about things, and willing to answer her myriad of questions.

"I, um," she ran a hand through her hair, "I was being home schooled. Frankly I have no idea what I am getting into. I don't know a thing about the school, the people, and the classes." She sighed and looked back at the brown haired girl, "can you tell me anything about the school?"

"I could, but," she chewed her bottom lip. "People call me a know-it all, and are rather mean since I wanted to know everything about the school I could get my hands on before I got there, so I know quite a bit. That is if you are interested in hearing it all."

"I would love to hear anything you got. However if we could start with the basics and then maybe get more detailed? I need the crash course first," she grinned. "Thanks for talking with me, and letting me sit with you too. If I had been forced to sit with my brother it would not have gotten pretty."

"He just being a thick headed boy?"

"Overbearing, over protective, and he's plotting something. I'm not sure what, but he had that grin on his face that said I was going to hate him later. So yeah being a typical boy I guess," she grinned. "Now, tell me about this adventure in learning I am about to embark on."

With that Hermione dove straight in on the school history. While normally she wouldn't have glossed over some things, they did have limited time. So she rambled on answering the surprisingly interesting questions her traveling companion came up with. It was a lot of fun talking with her about the teachers and the classes.

"So let me get this straight, last year there was a philosopher stone hidden in the school, and you and your two friends had to protect it from someone who was supposed to be a teacher?" It was obvious she was having a hard time with that information, "and even though he was an adult, the three of you managed to win."

"Basically, yes."

"Huh. Well at least it isn't boring," she shrugged deciding to just accept things.

"Speaking of Harry and Ron, I wonder where those two are, they should have at least stopped by to say hi or something," she huffed and sat back. "After all we have been through!"

"I think most boys have the attention span of a goldfish. They probably got involved in something along the way," she said as the door tot eh compartment was slammed open. There in the doorway stood Draco Malfoy and how two 'friends'.

"I thought something stunk in here. Mudblood," he said grinning at her wince, "where's scarhead and the weasel? They finally realize what trash you really are?" He then looked at the red head in the room and eyed her up and down, "another Weasley? How pathetic, dressed up like some muggle filth." With that he drew his wand, and Hermione began to draw her own.

"Hey, Ig and Ook! Move your asses!" someone shouted from the hallway and shouldered past the two bodyguards." Blondie, get out of my way!"

With those words Malfoy was shoved into the doorframe, as a raven haired girl strode into the space.

"There you are Kirri! I swear I take my eyes off of you for a freaking moment and you are gone!" Her hands trembled as she pulled out a cigarette and lit up, the smell of cloves filling the air. "I sent Belaquious in another direction, and your brother is doing gods know what. If this blond ponce is bothering the two of you, I could always kick him off the train," the girl said eyeing the now much paler boy.

"Wait until my father hears about this!" he shouted before heading off down the corridor.

"You're not allowed to smoke in here," Hermione said as she stared at the newest arrival. Her black hair was pin straight, her face pale with black makeup, a silver lip piercing, as well as nose ring and earrings, due to the short sleeves she wore one could also see she had a tattoo. Her clothes were also black and her boots had heels to them that made her seem taller, as well as older than she looked once you looked past it all.

"Sorry," she snapped. "However I need this to calm down. I fucking hate trains!" With that she sat next to Kirrishar and opened the window.

"Language!" Hermione snapped stunned by the girl who just rolled her eyes.

"Close your eyes, and relax. I'm sorry I just continued walking; I thought you were right behind me for most of it. I had to get away from him before I made a scene," she said apologetically. "Now, please put the clove out, and just take deep breaths. This is Hermione, she's been telling me about the school."

"Call me Blood Fang," the pale girl said with a brief wave. Due to her eyes being close she never saw Hermione blanche.

"She isn't a big fan on her birth name," Kirri supplied.

"He didn't say anything about trains," she grumbled. "Why couldn't we just freaking FLY there?" the Goth grumbled as she tried breathing techniques.

"Is, is she going to be alright?"

"Yeah, as soon as we get off the transport, then she will be back to her dark brooding self," she said with a happy grin.

"Oh! As I was saying, about the houses at Hogwarts," Hermione began again only to be once more interrupted by the door opening.

"There the two of you are," he drawled out and looked to her with a raised eyebrow. "Hello. Sorry for the intrusion. I was just looking for these two." This boy had long black hair, that seemed to have a natural curl to it, greenish golden eyes, pale skin, and while he wore black the long black leather duster had chrome spikes poking out at the shoulders neck and wrists. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Um, not at all," she said blinking her own brown eyes as he sat down next to her. "I'm Hermione."

"A pleasure," he all but purred as he kissed the back of her hand, "I am Lord Belaquious."

"Is my soon to be dead brother going to make an appearance as well? Or is he going to stay out of my way until we arrive, when he may have a better chance of my temper cooling and his continued existence?" Kirri said breaking the trance that Hermione felt she was in staring into those eyes.

"Oh, he's making his rounds. I think he realizes he needs to give this room a miss though. At least I think he realizes what a bad idea it would to rile you further," he said thoughtfully. Then he turned to look at the bushy brown haired girl next to him, "you don't mind if I sit here, do you? If you would prefer I can go sit over there."

"No, um, that's alright," she said softly.

"Awesome!"

"So there are four of you transferring to Hogwarts?"

"Yup! The three of us, and her brother," the Lord chuckled. "It ought to be quite an interesting year. Can't wait to get back into an actual school scene, might be fun to not be the freak for once, eh Kirri?"

"I'm sure I'll find some way to stand out as the freak of the year for some reason or another. School is school, and that means there will be bullies, like that blonde and his bookends."

"Oh, that was Draco Malfoy. He's a hateful, spiteful, wealthy pureblood," Hermione stated trying not to let her dislike of the boy come through too much.

"Shall I go be menacing?" The boy asked innocently enough, but with his looks it came out rather creepily.

"No. I'm sure you'll get to do that plenty once we arrive," the red head sighed in defeat. "Now then, back to the houses and what they each stand for?"

With that the four spent the rest of the trip discussing Hogwarts and all it had to offer them this year. It wasn't until they were getting off the train that Hermione realized yet again that her two male friends were nowhere to be seen. The group then proceeded to make the hike up to the carriages.

As they had waited a bit at the platform to see if her two friends would appear they arrived to the carriages to see the last one pull away. However there was one student standing and leaning on the fence seemingly waiting fro the group of them.

"Ah there you are my darling sister!" the boy crowed merrily ignoring the daggers her eyes metaphorically shot at him.

"Was that the last carriage?" Hermione asked the strange white-haired boy.

"Yes! No worries however, something will be along shortly." He moved over and looked into Hermione's eyes deeply before grinning, "you are a smart one, aren't you?"

"I have half a mind to punch you right now, don't press your luck," Kirri growled and bared her teeth to the boy.

"Ah well," he sighed as Hermione moved away from the boy and stepped closer to the girl she had spent so much time talking to. "Ah, I hear our ride approaching."

Sure enough the sound of hooves thundering down the road caused them all to turn and look. A black and silver carriage was being pulled by large black unicorns, their silver hooves and horns gleaming in the moonlight.

"Are those," Hermione began to ask but soon lost all words as the magnificent creatures slowed and stopped at the group.

"Black unicorns, and yes." Kirrishar said as she walked forwards and gave the lead one a hug around the neck, "sorry you had to come and do this. I know it was 'no trouble' but really, you shouldn't have to be in his schemes at all. Still thank you."

"Would you like to touch them?" The white haired boy said in Hermione's ear, "I'm sure they wouldn't mind. They are close friends of my sister, their herd would do just about anything for her."

She felt like she was in a trance as she slowly walked forwards and reached out to touch the silky coat of the first one she could get near. Kirrishar just smiled at her as she did so, and moved aside so that the large head could come around to sniff her. From a distance unicorns had always been something she wanted to get close to, especially a living one, however looking at that horn this close up made her realize how dangerous they could truly be.

"He says, that you have a pure heart and soul. You should try to keep those treasures as long as you can Hermione, he says they will do you well in the future," Kirri said as she stood with the stunned bookworm.

"You can understand what they say?" Kirrishar merely nodded the affirmative. "That is really amazing. I've never read about anyone who could hear unicorns before," she said dreamily as the large stallion nuzzled her gently.

"Yes, well, I think it is because people see themselves above such things as listening. Anyway, we should go. These guys shouldn't be out here too much, there is a different herd in the area," she said leading her friend into the plush coach.

"Unicorns are territorial?" she seemed confused.

"Yes, and no. It really depends on many factors, but that really isn't here nor there is it? I hate to seem so noncommittal on it, but it is really hard to explain their way of life. They live so differently than we do," she said as the team took off towards the castle.

With the swiftness of the team they soon caught up to the last carriage, and overtook its place in the queue. They could see the other students point and stare at the team pulling their carriage. They slowed to a sedate walk as they neared the main gate.

"This will be so much fun!" the white haired boy cackled in glee. "Now then, Kirri, dear, why didn't you change on the train?"

"Because I'm not going along with whatever you have that is going to humiliate me," she snapped at him as she watched the crowd slowly gathering on the front steps to see the unicorns. Hermione watched as the boy blinked rapidly a few times as if stunned by the fact that she would think such a thing.

"I do not set out to humiliate you. Ever," he said with more conviction and seriousness than she had seen so far from the boy. "Will you change your clothes willingly?"

"Does it mean that much to you? Everyone else seems to be in robes," she said sighing in resignation.

"It would mean so very much to me. Would you allow me?" he asked pleadingly, and though Hermione felt lost in the conversation the boy merely snapped his fingers and the girl next to her was definitely wearing something different, as well as a large hunter green cloak that covered her completely. "Thank you Kirri. I shall grant you something special of your choosing for allowing me this bit."

The other three in the coach with her got into their respective black cloaks and pulled the hoods up, the boy merely winked to her. Even thought their coach had arrived well before the last one, they sat off to the side and awaited the last one to empty, before they were led to the steps to disembark.

The puck-ish boy opened the door and climbed out, offering his hand to the three girls as they climbed out. The group then strode forwards towards the doors, the white haired one in the lead, the other two flanking the green cloak. Hermione just followed them all in, and then broke away to head off to the house table, as the four of them stood to the side until her head of house led them into a side room.

There were people talking about the unicorns, and a few were giving her looks as if they wanted to ask but were uncertain if they should. Finally it was Fred and George, Ron's twin brothers that plunked themselves down next to her and grinned.

"So Hermione-"

"What was with"

"The fancy entrance?"

"They are better ways"

"Of being noticed."

"There weren't any carriages left when we got there, so," she paused trying to recall if she had caught the boy's name. "It was really strange, but that coach just kind of appeared out of nowhere."

It seemed like the boys were going to start their tennis match of talking again with her as the net, when the doors opened and the first years were led in. At the far back of the group came the four cloaked people.

"Who are they?" whispered one of the twins.

"Transfer students," she replied softly, "by the way, have either of you seen Ron and harry? They never came by to see me on the train, and I didn't see them on the platform. That's why I had to get in the coach with them."

"Now that you mention it-"

"No, we haven't."

The sorting hat sang its song about the houses, and about how there needs to be unity in the school. It made an allusion to something coming that they would all need to stand together to face, and then it ended. However she had jotted down every word, so that she could go over it later, and see if there was nay truth to what the hat sang about each year.

They had just about finished the sorting of the new first years, when there was an awful racket, and the honking of a car horn? Every muggle-born looked about confused, but then the headmaster and two teachers headed out of the hall in a hurry. Professor Flitwick came forwards to speak.

"Settle down. I'm sure it is nothing to worry about. Once they have sorted it all out, we shall continue with the rest of the sorting, and have our feast," the diminutive man said cheerfully.

Surprisingly it only took ten minutes, and then the group returned along with Harry and Ron in tow. The two boys hurried to seats with Hermione while Snape glared at the group of them.

"Hey Hermione, what did we miss?" Harry asked quietly.

"A lot," she said looking the two of them over. "You'll need to tell me what happened later, and then I'll fill you in." Her eyes went back to the front of the room as the headmaster rose to speak as the last first year sat down with Hufflepuff.

"As I am sure you can all see we have four people still waiting their sorting. These four are transfer students, and shall be joining the second year classes. It is rare to have anyone change schools, but I do ask that no matter what house they are sorted into that you treat them as you would anyone else from your house." He made a motion and Minerva opened her scroll once more and looked at the group of four.

"Abernathy, Peter," she said crisply. Hermione blinked as she saw the hood come down and the boy she had met as Lord Belaquious strode up to the stool.

"That one is bound to be in Slytherin," Ron said making a face and shuddering.

"MARTOK!" The hat cried out, and caused a boy at the Ravenclaw table to shout something in a guttural sounding language.

Peter, as his name was, shouted something back to the boy, and the two laughed heartily. The rest of the room however was completely confused. The headmaster moved forwards and looked at the hat still resting upon the boy's head.

"Better be Hufflepuff!" it shouted out. At this new declaration the boy stood up and sat the hat back on the stool, heading over to the fifth year who was walking towards him with open arms and big grin. The two sat and began conversing in the guttural language for a moment before looking back to the front. Dumbledore was uncertain what had happened, but nodded for her to begin again.

"Lionheart, Constance."

Once more a hood came down, and this time it was the gothic girl. Ron was startled out of staring at the rather evil looking Hufflepuff by a quick jab to the ribs by Harry.

"That one must be a Slytherin. I'm sure the other one is, must have tricked the hat or something," he muttered.

Again the hate rested upon black hair, and this time all seemed well as the hate only sat there for a short time before crying out.

"Ravenclaw!"

"LeFay, Mordred," she called out, and pales. The room itself was so quiet you could not even hear a person drawing breath.

The final black hood came down, and the white haired youth strode forwards with an impish grin on his face.

"Hello hat," he said lifting the hat to eye level. "This ought to get quite interesting, don't you agree?" and with that he sat gracefully down, and placed the hat upon his head.

Hermione watched the hat very closely as did moat of the hall. The fabric twitched and shuddered. At one point it appeared as if the hate wanted to leap from the boy's very head.

"LeFay!" the hat shouted and then fell from the head onto the floor. The school watched as the final person in the green cloak walked over and gently lifted the hat up.

"Would you please just let the hat do its job? Stop tormenting the hat," she pleaded.

"You heard it though. I'm in House LeFay, and a marvelous house it shall be, and I'm certain you'll be in it. Perhaps we could transfer-"

"Stop. Let the hat do what it is supposed to do, so we can get this farce over with. You are seriously trying my patience with this," she said coldly.

"Slytherin, they are both snakes, gotta be," Ron said softly as he watched the hat come to be near the boy's head once more.

"SLYTHERIN! SLYTHERIN! DON'T YOU DARE PUT ME BACK ON HIS HEAD!"

"You're no fun," the boy said with an impish grin still on his face.

"And you are being a brat," she replied into the quiet as he made his way tot eh table grinning at the now nervous snakes.

"Stormwind, Kirrishar," the transfiguration teacher said nervously.

The green hood came down, and her red hair flowed with it. The girl sat upon the stool in a very beautiful medieval style dress.

"Sorry about him," she said before placing the hat upon her head. The entire school sat and watched without blinking to see what would happen.

"Gryffindor," the hat almost sighed out.

Hermione was stunned, mainly by everything that had happened, but she managed to smile and wave her traveling companion over towards her group.

"Hi," she said as she slid into the seat and looked about sheepishly.

"What better to do after an eventful sorting than eat!" The headmaster said cheerfully, though the sparkle never reached his eyes as he looked at the four transfer students. "So without further ado, tuck in!"

Kirrishar glanced about to se what her companions were doing and seemed happy that both of her gothy friends seemed to be integrating well, even though Mordred just sat there as the boys he sat near stared at him as if he might explode. She on the other hand was sitting next to Hermione and hoping that someone would say something soon, as it was getting awkward.

"So, that's your brother?" Hermione said trying to break the tension.

"Yeah. Sorry about the big show, he loves stuff like that," she went to serve herself a bit of food and Ron pulled the platter away. Hermione looked at Ron for a moment, but since he was serving himself from it let it go.

"I thought your other friends were named differently."

"Oh, those are what they like to be called. Pete has this whole character he gets into, but as you can see from him right now, he's really normal. Blood Fang," at this a few heads swiveled to look at her. "She hates her name. From what I understand her family has been this group of philanthropists, and this is kind of her rebellion against it all." Once more she reached to get some food only to have Ron snatch that away as well.

"Why do you both have different last names?" a first year girl asked.

"I was adopted into the family. Things were not so good for me, and Mordred took me under his wing, whether I wanted it or not. I finally caved and accepted him as a brother, at which point he went introducing me about to family and friends as his sister." She accepted the platter from Hermione and served herself.

"So you aren't really related to him then?" Harry asked.

"Yes and no. Things got kind of complicated," she took a sip of the pumpkin juice and looked at it before setting it down. "He has this thing about surprising me by dragging me off to something without telling me what or anything. So one moment we are walking in the woods, the next we are inside some room in a beautiful manor home, and I'm dressed in the best. He led me down to some kind of ball, I believe it was for the first day of spring, and introduced me to this beautiful woman. When he introduced me as his sister, she smiled and cast something. I have been magically added to his family by blood, and have even began to show some physical traits of his family line," she shook her head. "His mother was thrilled when she met me, and she wants to plan out my life. His father wept and hugged me. I've been out hunting with him several times."

"Wasn't a witch or wizard who went into Slytherin house that didn't come out evil," Ron said darkly as he stared at her.

"I can vouch for my brother being a prankster, and misguided at times," she glanced over at him eating like a prince. "Evil is really not his thing, just friendly chaos and driving me crazy." The twins looked over at her at the mention of pranks, and then to the white haired boy.

As Ron began to eat, shoveling food into his maw as soon as there was room, people tried not to look in his direction. Kirri kept her head down and played with a ring on her right hand.

After dinner was over and the dishes had vanished the headmaster once more took to the podium.

"Now that we have all been fed and watered it is time for some announcements. The Forbidden forest, is as it is called, forbidden. There are many things that lurk in those woods that could harm you, so please stay out of them. Argus Filch has updated his list of banned items, and if you are wishing to see it, it is posted up by his office. As many of you have read," he gestured down the table to the smiling man. "Our new Defense teacher is indeed Gilderoy Lockhart." A round of applause was given to the man before the old wizard spoke yet again. "I do hope that each house can make their transfer student feel part of the family that your houses are. If you would now follow your prefects to your dorms, sleep well." As the students began to follow those very instructions a Snape stopped the group of them.

"Potter, Weasley go to the headmaster's office," he glared at the two who rushed off hurriedly. "Granger, round up the other transfers. The headmaster wishes to speak with them after he is done with those two." With that the man swept from them following in the wake that Harry and Ron had gone.

"That was professor Snape. He is our potions teacher, and not very nice, but he is a world renowned potions master," Hermione said as they began to call over the other three.

"Isn't this fun!" Mordred said as he came over and draped an arm around Kirri and Hermione's shoulders.

"The headmaster wants to speak with the group of you," Hermione said to him as she moved out from under his arm.

"Good, because there are some things I do need to talk to him about. The sorting was fine, but the four of us really should be in the same classes at all time, or at least two of us with her," he grinned as she sighed heavily.

"This is a school. What do you think is going to go wrong? What could go wrong? I'm sure we are in for a nice quiet year or learning magic, unless you intend to liven things up in your own way," Kirri said as she fell into step with Hermione.

"That was how I felt about last year," she replied thoughtfully. "But then I got cornered by a mountain troll in the girl's bathroom. Harry and Ron came and saved me from it. Then by the end of the year we did have to protect a priceless artifact from a teacher who was being controlled by the most feared wizard of all time."

"I think Kirri can handle herself," Pete said with a grin. "She's a great head on her shoulders, and she has already made one friend from her house, so cool off on the protective brother thing until something happens."

"Belaquious, he is being proactive in this situation. Who knows what crazy thing she will try since she was dragged off and brought here under a large misleading pretense by her 'loving' brother," Blood Fang replied as they approached the stone gargoyle.

The group was just outside the door when it quickly opened and a very chastised Ron and harry came barreling out of it. Pete and Mordred grabbed Kirri and Hermione and pulled them aside before the boys could collide with them.

"Ah, thank you Miss Granger," Minerva said with a smile to her favorite student. "You may return to your dorm with the boys. Would you four please come in?"

Hermione gave Kirri a wave and a hopeful smile before she wandered off with the two spooked boys.

"What happened!? I want answers, and I want them now," she said in her bossy tone. The two cracked and began to tell her about the flying car. By the time they arrived back at the portrait she herself was fuming at the idiocy of her two male friends. "At least the two of you are alright, and I suppose the professors let you know how stupid you both were?" The two nodded. "Good, in that case good night!"

It was hard to miss that another bed had been added to their dorm room this year. Her dorm mates were presently looking over the finery that had been placed by the new bed, and turned on her when she entered the room. They had questions, and since Hermione had arrived with the new student that meant that she had the answers.

Harry and Ron were just happy that they hadn't gotten expelled. For harry that would mean having return to his cell of a room far too soon. Both boys were happy enough to just go straight to bed. Granted, detentions were a bit of a downer, but anything was better than going back to Privet Drive.

Harry and Ron waited for their female member of the trio before heading down to breakfast. However they were graced with two girls instead, Kirrishar tagging along with their bushy haired friend.

"What's she doing here?" Ron asked eyeing the red haired girl warily.

"Right," Kirri said before anyone could say anything else. "Guess I'll see you later then Hermione." With that the girl walked away through the portrait hole.

"Really Ronald! You don't have to be so rude to her," Hermione snapped at him and sighed.

"What! Her brother is a snake! How do we know we can trust her?" Ron said as they too left for the great hall.

"Unlike you Ron, I spent the whole ride on the train talking with her. I think I would know," she huffed.

"What can you tell us about her?" Harry asked trying to end the fight between his two friends early.

"Kirrishar, or Kirri for short, is really nice. She didn't know a thing about the school, so we talked about that and what it was like for her to grow up in the States. Oh and she loves dragons," she said eying the two boys. "I swear she probably knows more than Hagrid about them, and she was raised muggle. Now that she has access to real information on them I bet I know where to find her in the library," she grinned as Ron grimaced.

"Another bookworm?" he hung his head.

"Did she know what happened at the sorting? It was rather odd to hear the hat call out two houses that weren't there," Harry was actually really interested in that.

"Oh, yeah, it seemed Belaquious is a huge Geek, and I guess was having some kind of chat with the hat. Some sci-fi thing he likes also has houses and I guess he was explaining them, and their traits. As for Mordred, well she seems to think he was toying with the magic of the hat, but she can't prove that."

"She seems nice."

"She is Harry. I wish you two would give her a chance. Its got to be so odd to transfer to a school after being home schooled for a year. If the two of you don't mind I'd like to sit near her," she said looking at the two boys. Harry nodded, though Ron still seemed kind of uncertain about the new girl.

Since it was still early the girl in question was sitting alone, and just plating up some food. The three sat down with her and two of them smiled warmly to her.

"Sorry about that Kirri. House rivalries are strong around here," she said to her female friend.

"Its alright. I get it, I'm kind of the interloper. All of you have had a year to get to know each other, plus the house rivalries. The hat seems to thing it would be wonderful if it could go back to the time before the rivalries got so bad though," she sighed as she took a sip of orange juice.

"There was a time before all of this?" the three looked to her with curiosity, as Hermione began the questions.

"Yeah. The hat thinks that all this petty nonsense will eventually destroy the school, and lives," she said glancing at the three of them. "I take it no one really cares what an intelligent being has to say, just because it is an article of clothing?"

"No one ever takes the hat's song seriously," Ron said as he piled food high on his plate. "The twins said the year before we came to school it made some dire warning, but nothing happened." At that moment the family owl flew into the room and proceeded to crash in front of Ron a bright red envelope in his beak.

As he went to open it the letter began in his mother's angry shill tones calling him by his full name and then how disgusted she was with his actions. Midsentence it began clucking like a chicken, and everyone stared at it.

"Really? That sort of thing should be done in private, where the rest of the kiddies can't hear it," Mordred said as he invited himself to join them on Kirri's other side. "You'd think people would have the common sense to chastise their child in person and in private."

"Clucking? You chose chicken?" the girl said to him, as she reached over and straightened his tie.

"It was that or a little yippy dog, but fewer people hate chickens," he said smirking at the group.

"Mordred, this is Hermione as you recall, and her friends Harry and Ron," she said introducing the group.

"Nice to meet you both."

"You're not allowed to sit here," Ron said getting his mind off of the self shredding letter that had finished with a big crowing.

"Why not? Is there a rule in the big book of rules, or is this just because I got into another house than my innocent sister whom I wish to bother this morning?"

"Actually, I don't think there is a rule against it," Hermione said before Ron could make a comment otherwise.

Ron sat and glared daggers at the white haired boy as he shoveled food into his maw. Harry was just watching how the boy sat there as if it was the most natural thing to do in the world that is until Snape came over to give the schedule to his student.

"Mr. LeFay, you should return to your own table for meals," Snape began as McGonagall hurried over to keep an eye on things.

"Please, call me Mordred. Afterall this really doesn't need to be that formal, does it? If it were then I should see you bowing before my sister and I," he said with a smirk.

"Don't start Mordred," she begged to deaf ears.

"If he wants formality I should announce our true status, should I not? I mean I already told the boys in my dorm, I'm sure they are writing home to verify it all. Not that they can mind you," he said buffing his nails on his robes. "Now then professor, I thank you for my time-table, but really I must sit with family once in awhile. Schoolyard rivalries are really far beneath you and myself. Are they not?"

The dungeon bat glared at the young man before he turned on his heel and strode away with his cloak billowing behind him.

"I never thought I'd say this," McGonagall said stunned, "but twenty points to Slytherin." The woman then handed out the schedules and wandered off in a daze.

While Kirri looked like she wanted to vanish, the boy sat smugly smiling at the stunned members of the table who had just witnessed this feat. Percy was blinking and uncertain, and the twins were gaping, but not as openly as Ron was.

"Did that just happen?" Dean asked from down the table. That one question broke the moment and people began whispering up and down the table.

"Looks like we have just about the same schedule my darling sister," he said with a grin. "That means I'll get to spend even more time with you, and your new friends. Now, shall we head off to the first class?"

The group headed out to the greenhouses after breakfast was done. The sky was clear and it looked like it would have been a great day to go out flying on his broom, but Harry kept up with his friends, and new friends. Well he wasn't too certain about Mordred, but Kirri seemed nice enough. It would be nice to have more than just the two friends his own age, and his neighbors.

As they stood in the green house awaiting the arrival of their teacher, Draco moved closer to the group obviously in the mood to try and start some kind of fight.

"What are you doing with this lot? A blood traitor, scar head, and two mudbloods?' the blonde started, and Mordred merely raised an eyebrow at him.

"Ah Draco," the boy said. "Allow me to introduce you to my sister, Kirrishar Stormwind," he said ignoring the entire bit the boy had just said. "It should be known that any whom give my lovely sister a hard time will face my wrath, and I can get quite creative in that," he said so pleasantly one would think he was commenting on the foliage around them and not giving a threat.

"Sister? You two look nothing alike!"

"Mystical blood adoption, Draco, not that you've heard of that before. Very old magics, I think it fell out in the fifteenth century." Mordred was enjoying this, "in fact if I'm not mistaken that would still be a good long while before your family name even took root in France as prominent." The blonde turned red and gave a curt bow before turning and leaving.

"How did you do that?" Ron blurted out the moment he was gone.

"The boy was going on and on last night about his family. Privileged brat doesn't get it, so I put him in his place, for now at least."

"How do you know about a spell that fell out of use that long ago?" Hermione asked as she made note to find out what spell it was later.

"Well, ow!" Kirrishar grinned at his exclamation of pain.

"Because he is an avid historical reader," she slid into the conversation giving her brother a look that dared him to challenge what she said.

Class was interesting as they got to repot mandrakes. Though it was disturbing t o see Kirrishar cradle hers while she pulled a pot over, and rocked it like a child. Somehow when she did it her root calmed down a bit, whereas Draco was bit, and Neville fainted.

Some were giving the transfer student a strange look as they all headed back into the castle for their next classes.

"How did you know to rock it in your arms?" Hermione asked still uncertain where that information was in her book.

"It just seemed a natural thing to do. It was a baby, and crying. When a baby is crying they are either in need of a change, feeding, or wanting comforting attention. As we were changing their pots, it was none of those, but you can usually calm a child by holding and rocking them. So I gave it a shot," she shrugged.

"It definitely brought the racket down in there once we all started doing that," Harry said. "I thought my head was going to explode from all that wailing."

Transfiguration was interesting, as it turned out that Kirrishar had never taken a class like it. So while she set up the other students with their work, she had to pull the transfer student aside to work with her and bring her up to speed. In fact the rest of the class got out of a long essay, because it would seem that the transfer students would get the brunt of the work until they caught up to where they should be.

"Didn't anyone teach you transfiguration at home? No tutors or anything like that?"

"Nope. I'm sure Mordred has it down to the point he doesn't need to think about it. I however, and kind of new to the whole magic thing, and while it seems interesting, I'm not really sure on the practical uses. I mean if I have a bunch of matches but I need a needle, I'm sure I could fashion a wooden needle just fine. Else," she sighed. "I always carry things like that with me. You never know when you might need something, so I am always carrying essentials."

"What do you mean by essential," Ron asked as he shoved more food into his mouth.

"Rope, canvas, climbing pitons, and that kind of thing. I can always hunt for food, and I understand how to find clean potable water, and," she looked at his expression.

"You always carry that junk with you? All you need is your wand, and then you can do anything!" He beamed even as the food splattered out of his mouth, and to make more of his point he held his taped wand up.

"Greetings," a dark voice came from behind the boys causing Ron to jump a bit. Belaquious just grinned at the group of them. "I heard something interesting from my Hufflepuff mentor, and just to bring it up for no reason what so ever, I hear that this place can't keep a defense teacher. So I'm thinking about starting a betting pool on his fate this year."

"That's just tacky-"

"Very much so brother of mine," the twins said as they looked at the dark boy.

"Well it isn't a bet on when, it's a bet on the how. From what I understand you have lost teachers due to the following," she opened a black leather tome and leafed to a page. "Here we are, the following, choked on a chicken bone at dinner in his private rooms, had an limb removed by various dark creatures brought in to teach the class about, accidentally created a new disease. How one can do that is beyond me, but love this next one, attacked by a book and left for dead by over a thousand paper cuts."

"So this is just a way to see who comes up with the most creative and-"

"Interesting reason that the professor will no longer work past the year?"

"Yup. I've got a few good ones so far. I still think run through with a batlith is not going to happen, but it was a unique one. I also have eaten by a tribble, or a dragon, sorry Kirri," he said as she huffed.

"Like he'd taste good. The man wears more cologne than most girls, he'd be vile for anything to eat," she shuddered at the thought.

"In that case, we want in!" the twins said in stereo as they got up and dragged the willing Goth off to discuss things.

"Speaking of, we should all head down there," Harry said as he got up.

As one looked about the room one could see that every girl there was enamored with the beautiful man, all except Kirrishar who seemed to grumble at the smiles he kept sending her way. The fact that Hermione was not immune to his so-called charms was actually rather amusing to the two boys she was friends with.

It wasn't until he released the Cornish pixies that the whole class went downhill fast. The room became chaos as students tried to flee, and poor Neville was lifted up off the floor, the pixies even took the professor's wand from him. Mordred found the whole thing hysterical and was laughing while floating in the air. Kirrishar hid under the desk as Hermione Harry and Ron stood and tried to figure out what to do.

Finally having enough of this Hermione raised aloft her wand and called out, "Immobulus!"

At this almost all of the pixies were floating in the air, unmoving. Mordred himself was still laughing, and hovering in the air, while his sister was under the desk seemingly conversing with a few while sharing a biscuit with them.

"Why is it always me?" asked Neville of no one in particular.

"Aw, fun time's over," Mordred said with a bit of a pout.

"Right, how do we get Neville down," Ron asked as he looked up towards the ceiling. Neville had already fallen from that distance last year and broken his wrist, the ground was a bit more giving than stone would be.

"I've got him," the pouting boy said causing the three to look to him. The boy placed his feet back on the ground and snapped his fingers. With just that Neville was lifted up off of what they had placed him on and lowered gently to the floor.

"How did-"

"Without a wand"

"Bloody hell," said Ron rounding out the exclamations and open mouths.

"Kirri, would you stop feeding those things? I mean really Cornish pixies really are annoying," he said as he made certain Neville was unharmed.

"Well I admit they have some interesting things to say about you, and none of them flattering," she said glaring at her brother. "Besides it is a new language for me, and they happen to like me."

"Yes. Of course they like you; you're giving them a big chocolate chip cookie. Any being alive succumbs to your sweet baking charms; now shove them back into their little cage. Fun time is over," the said striding over to the girl.

"Nope. They are not going to be crammed back into that thing, it's cruel," she said eying him.

"I agree with her. Look at how many we have shoved in there. It can't be comfortable to be crammed in there," Hermione said now noticing what they had done with the sentient beings.

"They're just pixies," Ron said as if that ended the argument. The two girls in the room however glared at him for his callous remark.

Two of the group that were eating the cookie broke away and landed on Hermione's shoulder, their chattering language going at about a mile a minute as they tried to talk to her, and touched her hair gently.

"What are they saying?"

"Well, Dinks thinks that if you weren't so nice they would find you tonight and rat your hair into the biggest mess you've ever had, but since you are so nice and don't want them to be crammed in there they owe you a favor. Right now they are discussing what that should be." She said as she slowly stood up a few of the pixies braiding a length of her hair. "They understand mortal intentions just fine, if not the language. "Albrekcht here," she gestured to one of the ones with the cookie still, "understands English and Cornish dialects but hasn't the voice for them."

Hearing that the destruction of his classroom was done, their 'fearless' teacher came back out. His eyes widened when he saw that there were indeed a few still loose.

"Not done yet? I was certain you'd have the little blighters all back in the cage by now," he said with a nervous grin. Kirrishar turned and glared at him, Hermione also gave a look to the teacher but hers was not nearly so murderous.

"Kirrishar, let it go. He is a teacher and you are his student," her brother said while trying not to laugh. The girl grumbled something then grabbed the cage of pixies.

"You don't deserve to be a teacher! You arrogant poof!" with that she turned on her heel and marched from the room. The only two pixies remaining sat on Hermione's shoulders clapping madly.

"I found your class amusing," her brother said with a shrug and then began to stride forth from the room putting an arm around Neville and dragging him with as he went.

"Right well, um, twenty points to each of you who stayed and fixed the problem," the teacher said.

"Sir," Hermione began, "you probably wouldn't have had an issue with the pixies had you not shoved them all in such a small cage. Think of how you'd feel if you were shoved into a small space with a number of other people."

The words struck Harry hard, as he knew what it was like to be shoved into a small space and locked up there for long periods of time. As they left he room he felt a small hand land on the top of his ear. The one Kirri had called Albrekcht stood there, and it had an understanding look on it's little face.

"You know," it whispered slowly. "No lock again. You help, we help. Never alone again." The small being patted his ear and gave a sad smile, as Harry felt the burn of tears beginning to form behind his eyes. When he caught up to the others they were outside, the rest of the pixies beginning to come out of the spell. Many students were staying very clear of the happenings.

"You aright mate?" Ron asked when he saw the watery look in Harry's eyes.

"Yeah. I'm good." Again the small hand patted him gently, before taking to the air and chittering out commands. It seemed that he was the leader of the roguish band, and he had orders to give. Professor Snape and McGonagall were quickly on the scene with their wands drawn, but stood stunned at the group of students just stood and watched.

The whole group split into two and while half went and braided Kirrishar's hair, the other half went after Hermione's hair. The bushy haired girl closed her eyes nervously.

"No worry, be gentle," the soft slow voice said as he touched her ear gently. "Keep Harry safe. No lock, no alone for he. Help we, we help."

Hermione opened her eyes as she tried to get her mind to wrap around it all, but gentle tugs on her hair brought her back to the real world and the reality that pixies were playing with her hair. There was a flash of Colin's camera as this was all going on to capture the truth of what was happening.

To say that what the school was seeing was strange was an understatement. The fact that it was happening to the golden trio was becoming just normal, but to watch as Hermione's hair went from the bushy untamable mess to something silky and more manageable was amazing. When they were done, both girls sported new looks befitting of them. The little beings then gave a bow to both ladies and swarmed them and Harry for a strange hug. They ten mooned Ron and gave a raspberry to Mordred who blew one right back to the little things, and then the group of them took off and vanished from sight.

The flash bulb in the camera had kept going off during the whole thing, capturing the sight for people to look over later. Afterall who would believe this? The two girls smiled at one another as their fashion and beauty obsessed roommates started gushing about how they looked.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Only can claim a few characters, and some ideas. Just playing in someone else's sandbox...

AN: (had a small hiccup in my posting, so let's try this again) Shorter chapter here. Sorry I haven't posted lately. My parents are coming to visit and I want to get the house clean... er.. well... cleaner. As this is the third chapter i shall now shamelessly ask that you drop my a word on your thoughts, or if there is something you would like to see happen. As will be seen in this chapter the universe is now taking an exit from the books and movies. Also this is not being beta'd, and I am trying my best here, however if you notice something off let me know and I'll get in there and give it a fix ]:=8}

Chapter 3

Friday's classes thankfully went on without a problem. Hermione had managed to talk her two male friends in joining her in the library to get their homework done quickly so that they could have all weekend free. While Harry thought that sounded like a good idea, Ron was still wanting to slack off on it all. Between the two of them they somehow managed to talk him into it.

When they arrived they were able to find their normal table in the back still free and set up their things so that they could work quickly at finishing the assigned work.

"Excuse me," the girl who had been first introduced as Blood Fang said as they were working. "Is it alright if I join the three of you?"

"Certainly," Hermione said without batting an eye, though Ron looked somewhat terrified of the dark girl with her lip piercing.

"What are you working on," Ron asked as he looked over at the diagrams sketched out in her very muggle sketchpad.

"Oh Lord Belaquious wants me to work out a particular ritual he had read about. While it is amusing to see him geeking out about," she waved her hand about, "well, everything. I have to say that at least he is taking his classes mostly seriously. I've finished with the normal coursework for this week, and even some of next weeks."

"Really? What kind of work schedule do you have?" Hermione couldn't help but ask, though she knew the boys would never get behind something like that.

"Well I haven't finished my ideal work schedule, but it would put me at least a month ahead on all work, including essays. I figure between Mordred and myself we can get the other two caught up to where everyone else is. Belaquious and Kirri are sadly behind in theory, but then again Kirri stomps me in some categories. If it is an animal, talk to her. I'm not one for anything more than my sweet pet Arsenic."

"What is your pet?"

"A reticulated python," she said looking into the green eyes of the boy-who-asked. "My dorm mates said that I wasn't allowed a snake. I told them if they wanted to get good grades this year they would leave the two of us alone, otherwise their work would go missing. Granted I was unpacking my altar and athame at the time, but I think I got the point across."

"What's an athame?" Ron asked still trying to decipher the odd symbols the girl had been drawing.

"Really Ron," Hermione huffed. "An athame is a ritual knife."

"Right in one, and Ronny, dear, you don't want to figure out what I am doing. I highly doubt you could summon death all on your own, let alone that you would want to." The dark girl grinned as the boy pales and moved his chair further from her.

"You can't really do that," Harry was curious, "can you?"

"Hm, I dunno. That is why I am drawing up some ideas to see if the numbers match up, and what it may take. From the excerpts he has given to me I have been able to figure out some of it, and it seems plausible. I'm not really certain if it would be worth it, bringing the attention of Death to us in the long run. However if he wants me to humor him in this way, then I shall. Anything for a friend, right?"

"What book do you recommend for the potions work? I've tried to find more information but I think my essay is going to be short," Hermione said and glared at Ron as he snorted. It was true that her essay might be over the required length but she would really love more information on the potions they would work on.

"Oh, for that I used the end all of potion ingredient books out there. 'Poisons most lethal and Potions most helpful' by some agnostic monk in the sixteenth century, he really was rather sarcastic in some of his comments. The book has been most helpful to me, and I don't think they have it here," she said with a shrug. Before Hermione could even ask she pulled out the old leather bound tome, "any friend of Kirri's can feel free to ask and borrow my books. Mordred found most of them. He even had to go ask his mother for a few, and I can only imagine that was something he swore he'd never do."

"Thank you," she said staring at the thick book.

"Think nothing of it. Just know that if you are looking for something you should really be looking for the older name of it. That book also has a tendency to ramble on about the lethality of some ingredients as well, and how much is too much in anyone's system. I assume that is why he was eventually killed, but thankfully someone smuggled the book out before they razed his home and belongings."

For the rest of the time they were in the library Ron kept giving the dark girl nervous looks. On the other hand she sat there and worked diligently ignoring the people around her unless they spoke to her directly.

Both boys finally called it quits long before the girls did and made their escape. Harry stating he would need plenty of sleep for practice in the morning.

The next morning the team strode out towards the pitch as one unit. Harry was so happy that he would be able to fly once more, the freedom he felt when in the air, it was the best feeling a boy could have at his age.

"I have a plan for us this year," Wood said as they walked along. "We are going to train earlier, longer, and harder than any of the other teams. We are going to win the cup again this year, and we are going to keep winning it long after I'm gone. Oh no." There also striding towards the pitch was the entire Slytherin team geared up as well for practice. "I don't believe it. Where do you think you are going Flint."

"Quidditch practice," the boy said with a smirk that could only mean trouble for the Gryffindor. "I've got a note."

Casually he handed over the note as both Ron and Hermione came over from where they had been sitting waiting for the team so they could head down and watch the practice. It was obvious that there was going to be some kind of trouble, and this in turn caused a third person to drift over to see what was up.

"So you have a new seeker? Who?" Wood was looking over the team skeptically.

"Malfoy," Harry said seeing the blonde smugly grinning from ear to ear.

"Yeah, and that's not all that's new this year," he smirked.

"Those are new nimbus 2001s," Ron said his mouth agape. "How did you all get those?"

"Gift from Draco's father," Flint said with a grin.

"My father at least has the money to make sure I have the best," Malfoy quipped.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in, they all got their places by pure talent," Hermione said matter-of-factly.

"No one asked you, you filthy mudblood," Malfoy menaced.

"You'll pay for that one Malfoy. Eat Slugs!" the spell Ron had meant to cast, due to the broken wand in his hand, backfired. The disgusting things began leaking from his mouth. Colin ever ready with his camera began snapping pictures of the slug vomiting.

"Well the Gryffindors act like their house is supposed to," Mordred said as he strolled between the two groups sizing them both up. Harry and Hermione hefted their friend up between them and had intended to head to Hagrid, but the team was surrounding them, and the Slytherins were in the way they needed to go. "So would someone care to tell me why the house of subtlety and manipulations, cunning and careful plotting, is acting like a two year old throwing a fit?"

"What are you on about," Flint said taking a step forwards to try and intimidate the second year, who instead of quaking in fear jut looked back at him bored.

"If you wanted to make a scene, you got it. However would it not have been better to send a runner, or leave a straggler to give them the note so you could train Blondie in secret, AND keep the fact you have new brooms quiet as well? Would that not have been, I dunno, better to land on them the day of the match?" He sighed loudly, "and name calling. 'mudblood' not really inventive. Kirri could call you names that would hurt your grandchildren, that is if you don't die of shame and can produce them later on."

"Listen here you little," Flint began. Mordred for his part gave a small wave for the three to make their way away from the place, as he now have every available eye on him.

"Listen to you? I think not! You need some grey matter between your ears to form thought worthy of me listening to first," the small boy quipped back.

Harry looked over his shoulder in time to see the larger boy make a lunge for the smaller one, but then decided to just thank Mordred later for taking everyone's mind off the fact Ron had just cursed himself. In fact, with any luck that boy would cause many people to just forget it even happened.

Hagrid was more than happy to see the trio, even if Ron was now vomiting slugs. Sadly the spell would have to just run it's course. That seemed a bit odd to Harry, as it was a spell wasn't there another spell that could stop it?

They quickly explained to him why Ron had tried to cast that spell. In turn the offensive word was explained as to why it was so bad. Harry felt awful that his friend was being called that name, and probably would for the rest of her time there, unless something changed.

"Why don't the two of you head back up to the castle? I'll keep Ron here until this passes. You may want to see how that odd Slytherin is faring with the other up there. Kinda strange one of them sticking their neck out for a Gryffindor like that," he mused as he put the kettle on for some tea, nothing better to wash the taste of slug away than a strong tea.

"Are you okay Hermione," Harry asked as they slowly made their way back towards the castle.

"I'll be alright. I should be used to people not liking me for being a bookworm and a know-it-all," she sighed.

"But that isn't all you are," Harry said trying hard to make his friend feel better. "You are a wonderful, caring person, and you're one of my two best friends. In fact you're the second person to ever want to be my friend, definitely the first girl," he said feeling more awkward as he spoke. "I don't know that I would have survived last year if it hadn't been for you."

"Thanks harry," she said feeling a bit better knowing that he was at least trying. He was one of her first friends as well, and that was something very special to her. She knew that there was a chance later in life that she might even come to fancy him, heavens knew that two of her roommates already did.

"Knut for your thoughts?"

"I'm just thinking how sweet it is of you to try and make me feel better. Thank you Harry. I do feel a bit better," she said giving him a quick hug before they got back to where the students were getting pretty thick.

"We weren't gone that long were we?"

"Maybe forty minutes," she said as they tried to make their way through the sea of people to see what was going on.

"Seriously!" scoffed Mordred as he stood with his arm crossed. "You are Slytherins and you are now saying bad things about my family. I'm surprised you think that even bothers me. Everyone knows my parentage, well let me rephrase that. Everyone who knows how to pick up a book and read knows my parentage. In fact I bet you more muggleborns know my parentage that any number in our own house!"

"Prove it!" shouted one of the crowd.

"A challenge," the boy smirked. "I like this one. Two members of each house, one boy one girl. I care not about 'blood purity' nonsense so one of each come forwards. This will only take a brief moment I'm sure."

The people turned on themselves trying to separate into houses in order to choose who would enter this odd challenge. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff quickly chose, Gryffindor grabbed Hermione and Neville, apologizing to Harry for not choosing him. They wanted to toss a pureblood in their own mix to see if what the boy claimed was true. Soon enough each house had two members standing there, and a few teachers were now coming onto the scene as the last classes for some just let out.

"Now then, this is quite simple." He reached into his pocket and pulled out some parchment tearing it into enough strips for one each. "Each of you is to write whom you think my mother and father is on that slip of paper. Once all of you are done, I will come by and look at each one and tell you if they are right or wrong," he smirked broadly. "If you are right, you have the right to let the cat out of the bag. I promised my sister I would not announce it to the crowd, but you will be more than welcome to do so." With that he handed out the slips and waited for them each to finish.

Most of the muggleborns began to laugh as he began to loudly whistle the theme from Jeopardy. Harry looked about and saw the teachers talking to those on the fringe to see what was going on and if they should intervene or not. Once they were done he started with the Slytherins first and laughed at both slips with a shake of his head, before moving down the line.

"Ravenclaws gets both right on both slips," he said and both paled and looked stunned. "Hufflepuff gets it right on one of theirs. Neville, good guess but no, and Hermione," he looked at her and leaned to whisper into her ear. "You crossed off the right answers and made something up. I know it seems odd, and completely far fetched, but sometimes that can also be truth," he said for only her ears before facing the crowd again.

"Raise your hand if muggleborn," he said and those that took the challenge and got it right raised their hands. "Hermione is still stunned but she also got it right. Look not a so called pure one in the mix, ah how sad. Well my chaos is done for the day," he said with a grin and a snap of his finger the bits of paper turned to ash and floated off in the breeze.

"You do realize that Kirri is going to kill you for this, right?" Blood Fang said as she strode out next to him and looked at the people staring at those who answered right to see if they would tell them.

"Probably, but she'll get over it. She always does," he said with a grin. "Now then, shall we be off before they come out of their stupor? I'd rather not be in the middle when it all breaks loose."

Harry quickly moved to Hermione's side and pulled her through the throng of students, she was muttering to herself in disbelief as they neared the teachers.

"Mister Potter," McGonagall said crisply. "You should be in detention right now, with Professor Lockhart."

"Oh, sorry, I'll go right now," he said and gave his friend a apologetic smile.

"I'll see to Miss Granger, now off with you," she said as she reached out to bring the young lady into a nearby classroom.

Hermione vaguely noticed that her friend was running off to his detention, but couldn't find it in her to care right away. Instead she felt better that her favorite teacher and head of house was taking her into a quiet room, and locked the door and cast a number of spells on it as well.

"Now then, Miss Granger, have a seat." The normally stern teacher sat across from her, and smiled warmly. "I know that this is highly irregular, but what happened today?"

"Harry and the team were heading down to the pitch for practice. The Slytherin team came with a note from Professor Snape that said they would get the pitch, even though Wood signed it out. There were words, and Malfoy called me a mudblood," she said looking at her teacher as the older woman looked aghast that a student would dare use such language. "Then Ron tried to curse him for it, but since his wand is broken it backfired. Mordred got in between both teams and began making a scene so that we could get away without too many noticing, and we took Ron down to Hagrid's. We weren't gone all that long, so I'm not sure what was said, but Mordred landed a challenge. Each house pulled a boy and girl forward to guess his parents' names."

"Oh dear, did he announce it to them all?"

"No, he didn't. I thought it was just some game so I wrote down two names, then crossed them off and came up with something so ordinary that I knew they couldn't be right. Professor, he told me that my first guess was right," she said. "How is that possible?"

Harry arrived at Lockhart's classroom, and then realized the time as he was catching his breath. He still had a couple of hours before he needed to be there. Shaking his head he headed off to lunch to grab a bite before he would have to head back down there.

Three of the four transfers were sitting at the Hufflepuff table with Belaquious. Seeing as he wanted some kind of answer to what happened, as well as to thank him for the diversion harry headed over to the table.

"Hey Mordred," he began and the three turned to look at him. "Thanks for what you did earlier. I'm sure Ron will appreciate it."

"Think nothing of it," he smirked.

"Yes, thank the genius now, before Kirri guts him," Constance said glaring at the white haired boy.

"Why would she," Harry stopped and looked at the boy who was still grinning.

"I let them guess who MY parents are Harry. MY parents, not hers, but because of the blood adoption, well, some things happened. Kirri is not an attention seeker like myself. She has a hard time in the spotlight. She was teased for being a redhead at school, made fun of and called a freak because she was imaginative, when I say that I mean more so than those her own age. While girls her age were all about fluffy cute animals, her favorite was alligators and crocodiles, wolves, sharks, and dragons. What I did today is going to have a long standing effect here, and while I couldn't give a rat's ass, she will." He sighed, "that is if any of them that guessed right decide to spill the beans. However I'm sure it wont be long."

"He's lucky I left her in the library, and now, I should grab some food and head back there. Last thing we need is her to be alone if the fall out happens," Belaquious rose up grabbing a few items and nodded to Harry before heading off.

"Well I have to be off. I've got detention in a bit."

"Ah, detention. I wonder how many I'll rack up this year," he said with an impish grin that made Harry worry a bit, but then he shook it off and hurried off to his dreaded time with the winner of a smile contest.

Four hours. That's all it had taken for his mind to crack and hear voices, but the 'professor' had let him go after that. Ron and Hermione had found him not too long after he left, as he was following a voice he felt was in the wall. It was wanting to kill, and that set him on edge and gave him goose bumps.

Harry took off after the voice as he heard it echo in the walls, fearing that if they didn't get there in time it would truly kill someone. As he reached the end of the one hallway he turned to his right and slowed his pace no longer hearing it.

"Harry, wait up!" Hermione called to him.

Their pace slowed considerably as they came upon a terrifying sight to Ron, a large number of spiders quickly making their retreat through a cracked window to the outside of the school. There must have been hundreds of the little eight legged things scurrying as fast as they could in some kind of orderly fashion.

"I hate spiders," Ron said cringing at the sight, and the fact that he would have to be near them at all. Carefully the group made their way around the little mass of eight-legged beasts and into an empty classroom.

"Harry, what was that about?" she asked as she looked at him worriedly.

"I thought I heard a voice tonight, while I was in detention with Lockhart. It," he looked between his two friends. "It sounded like it wanted to kill something."

"That's crazy," Ron said. "You sure you didn't imagine it because you are missing dinner? Speaking of we should get down there before it ends." With that the boy shook his head at his friend, "you had me there for a moment, but I grew up with the twins."

"Harry if I were you I wouldn't tell anyone else you heard a voice. Even in the wizarding world that isn't normal." It was hard for her to not look at him like something was wrong, but he knew what he had heard!

"You believe me though, don't you?"

"Harry," she glanced to be sure that Ron was gone. "It could have been Peeves, or another ghost trying to play a trick on you, but neither Ron or I heard anything. Strange things seem to happen to you, so I wont count it out," she said trying to remain positive for her friend. "If it happens again, let me know. Try to hear what it says, and maybe I can find something in the library?"

"Thanks for at least trying to believe me," he said with a sigh as he began to head to dinner.

"You have to admit, it does sound a bit off doesn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess so," he said. "But I know what I heard."

"And that is why I believe you too. Harry, you aren't one to make things up, but we need to be careful. Can you imagine what Malfoy would do with that information?"

The boy cringed at the thought and nodded quickly as they both stayed quiet as they made it to diner.

Once they managed to get back to their common room, they saw the large number of people staying clear of the transfer student in their house. She seemed annoyed by this, but kept her nose deep in an old tome of some kind. Since it was the only available seating left in the room, they moved to sit by her.

"Oh thank heavens, thought I contracted the plague with the way everyone keeps looking at me," she sighed as they sat down.

"I think it is more that you are related to Mordred," Hermione said as she looked the girl over.

"Not sure I even want to know what he did now. People came flooding back in here about twenty minutes ago, and flocked to the other side of the room. They've been whispering and pointing at me as if I killed their puppy." With another sigh she closed the blood and lay it across her lap, "so what happened?"

"Pete never told you?" Harry asked cautiously.

"Told me what?"

"Well this morning there was a confrontation between the two teams for the Quidditch pitch, and your brother got involved. He made a great cover so that we could get out of there and get Ron some help," Hermione said cautiously not sure how the girl would react.

"When we came back from Hagrid's he had this huge group of people around him. He challenged people to guess who his parents are, and a few got it right," Harry continued.

"HE told people?" her face had paled causing her multitude of freckles to stand out more so than Ron's did.

"No!" Hermione said quickly.

"Not directly. He held a challenge as Malfoy was insulting his parentage," Harry said calmly. "Claimed that more people not from the magical world would be able to guess, he was proven to be right. However not a one who has guessed it has said anything to anyone else about what they guessed."

"But is it true, that he, and you are," Hermione didn't finish the thought aloud.

"It's true that I'm going to kill him," she grumbled. Slowly she got to her feet, "I didn't want him to say anything. I'm sure you can guess why. If he said you were right, then you are right, and with that I'm going to bed."

Hermione watched slack-jawed as the girl left them and headed up to bed. Both boys were now really interested in what she was talking about. Anything that had Hermione grasping for logic had to be good.

"Well," Ron said sitting more on the edge of her seat. "What was all of this about?"

"He's the real thing Harry," she said looking a trifle fearful at her friends.

"The real thing? I don't quite follow you?"

"He's the real Mordred LeFay," she said quietly noticing that thankfully the rest of the students had either begun to head off to bed, or were at least staying on the other half of the common room. Both boys looked at her blankly and she sighed. "Really Harry, as legends go it is one of the biggest. You of all people know the story of Camelot."

"Like King Arthur and Merlin?" he asked. "Didn't Mordred and Arthur kill each other?"

"Merlin's beard," Ron said as the logic finally hit him. "He is the heir! That means Malfoy is his enemy though right?"

"He must be pulling your leg Hermione. Afterall, he IS a second year like the rest of us, and no where in the legends has he ever had a sister."

Hermione blinked a few times and looked between both boys. Perhaps they were right, but then again hadn't they been shown magic can do a lot of things?

"Hermione," Harry began as he looked worriedly to his female friend. "There is no way he could be the one in the legend. Think of how old he would be for one, even if at the end both he and Arthur were to have traded 'mortal blows'. Secondly, why would he come here to learn magic? He could have just trained with Merlin."

"Harry's got a point. I think they are just pranking you," Ron said with a big yawn. "Still if he were 'the heir' then Malfoy's gonna be in a world of hurt right now in their common room." With that the red head headed off to bed.

"Talk to her and see what you can find out. She might be willing to tell you the truth, and not something her brother said."

"You're right Harry. I have been a bit silly about it, but I'm not the only one," she said looking at him worriedly. "By tomorrow I'm sure most of the school will know this rumor. They may even blame him for the Chamber of secrets being opened."

"That will all be his problem to deal with. He even told me he likes the attention, and is curious as to how many detentions he's going to get this year. I'm sure that this is all some kind of prank being played on the whole school, like the twins do, just on a much larger scale."

The idea made her roll her eyes in disbelief, but it did seem more logical than being a few hundred years old and a second year in school. With goodnights said they parted ways, and she was determined to later get the truth from her red haired dorm mate.


End file.
